Roberto De Zerbi has wasted no time making his vision clear after steering Tottenham Hotspur away from relegation on the final day of the season.
The Italian head coach stated openly that he considered only “10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay” from a bloated first team squad of 36 senior players.
Back-to-back 17th place finishes have made significant squad reconstruction an absolute necessity, with Spurs working through a complex set of transfer priorities.
The transfer window officially opened for Premier League clubs on Monday, and Tottenham have already moved on a couple of free transfers with considerably more business expected.
The Lewis family are anticipated to inject fresh funds into the club in the coming weeks, helping offset the challenge of attracting players without European football on offer.
In goal, all eyes are on Guglielmo Vicario, who has two years remaining on his contract and has attracted heavy interest from Serie A clubs looking to bring the 29-year-old back to Italy.
Bart Verbruggen, the 23-year-old Dutch stopper who came through under De Zerbi at Brighton, is firmly on the club’s radar and already understands the head coach’s style of play.
Manchester City’s James Trafford has also been noted as a potential option, though De Zerbi may additionally seek an experienced goalkeeper to guide the young Antonin Kinsky.
Andy Robertson’s arrival has strengthened the full-back department considerably, with the Scotland captain bringing winning experience to support an injury-prone Destiny Udogie on the left side.
Pedro Porro has signed a new deal until 2031 on the right flank, and Djed Spence will push him hard for that position throughout the upcoming campaign.
At centre-back, free transfer arrival Marcos Senesi adds quality competition, but the most significant ongoing saga involves Tottenham’s repeated attempts to sign Jan Paul Van Hecke from Brighton.
Brighton are holding firm at a reported £70 million valuation for the 26-year-old despite him having only one year left on his contract, having already rejected a couple of Spurs bids.
The Van Hecke situation directly complicates the expected departure of club captain Cristian Romero, with the logic being that the 28-year-old World Cup winner must fetch a higher price than the Dutchman.
Brighton also tabled a £30 million bid for 19-year-old Spurs starlet Luka Vuskovic, a move that partly served as a negotiating tool to measure their own Van Hecke valuation.
In midfield, Yves Bissouma will depart at the end of June, while Tottenham must determine how much they will spend on Joao Palhinha given the expired £26 million option in his Bayern loan deal.
Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray represent the club’s long-term midfield future, though one may be loaned out if the department becomes too congested with bodies this summer.
James Maddison is expected to be fit enough to contribute from pre-season, while Xavi Simons will not return to action until early next year following his injury.
Alex Scott of Bournemouth is a target of interest, with the 22-year-old a known admirer of the club, though Bournemouth reportedly value him at £80 million with plenty of other suitors circling.
In attack, De Zerbi publicly confirmed his faith in Dominic Solanke, with the head coach expressing his desire to get the England international fit and supplied with better service next season.
Savinho remains a top priority on the wing after Tottenham failed to land the Brazilian during the winter window, though his arrival will force decisions on Mathys Tel and Mikey Moore’s futures at the club.
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